Living Cost Compare
Jacksonville

Florida

$1,320/mo est.

vs
Raleigh

North Carolina

$1,490/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,320 in Jacksonville, FL versus $1,490 in Raleigh, NC. Overall, Jacksonville, FL is roughly 11% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Raleigh, NC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $66,981 in Jacksonville, FL and $82,424 in Raleigh, NC — about 19% higher in Raleigh, NC. Florida has no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax; North Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% state sales tax.

Jacksonville, FL
Raleigh, NC

Rent

Studio
$1,127
$1,301
+15% in Raleigh, NC
1 Bedroom
$1,146
$1,323
+15% in Raleigh, NC
2 Bedroom
$1,385
$1,462
+6% in Raleigh, NC
3 Bedroom
$1,545
$1,715
+11% in Raleigh, NC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$266,100
$377,800
+42% in Raleigh, NC

Income

Median Household Income
$66,981
$82,424
+23% in Raleigh, NC
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$48,830
$51,990
+6% in Raleigh, NC

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.4 yr
34.7 yr
+1.7 yr in Jacksonville, FL
Homeownership
57.4%
51.2%
+6.2 pp in Jacksonville, FL
Bachelor's+ (25+)
31.8%
52.9%
+21.1 pp in Raleigh, NC
Avg Commute
24.1 min
23.4 min
+0.7 min in Jacksonville, FL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
557.6
491.5
+12% in Jacksonville, FL
Property Crime
2,599.5
2,838
+9% in Raleigh, NC

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
70.2°F
60.6°F
+9.6°F in Jacksonville, FL
Annual Precipitation
49.2 in
46.0 in
+3.2 in in Jacksonville, FL

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.25/gal
$4.30/gal
+1% in Raleigh, NC

Area: Florida vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.75
$1.25
+29% in Jacksonville, FL

Adult base one-way fare — JTA vs GoRaleigh (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.9
16.0
+8% in Raleigh, NC
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$23.62
$17.50
+26% in Jacksonville, FL

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.16
$4.16
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.73
$1.73
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.56
$6.56
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$1.90
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.61
$0.61
about equal

Average prices — South vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (FL / NC)
6%
4.75%
+1.3 pp in FL
Income Tax (top rate)
None
3.99%
+4.0 pp in NC

Jacksonville vs Raleigh — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Jacksonville or Raleigh?
Jacksonville, FL is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,320 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 11% below Raleigh, NC's $1,490, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Jacksonville than in Raleigh?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Jacksonville versus $53,000 in Raleigh.
Which has lower taxes, Jacksonville or Raleigh?
Jacksonville is taxed under Florida's rules (no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax); Raleigh under North Carolina's (a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).